K3 ULTRA GBR 85K

What to expect from the GBR 85K adventure?

The start of the K3 Ultra GBR 85K will be given from the centre of the golden town of the Rhodopes. The runners will set off to the west, they will pass through the old town and past the Watermill they will make for a picturesque eco trail to the St. Nedelya peak.

According to recent studies, there was located one of
the fortresses of Momchil – the Rhodope king. Here around the historical St. Nedelya Chapel an aid station will also be placed. From St. Nedelya peak, the route descends to the Nedelinska River and after crossing it the runners will head north over the town of Nedelino through beautiful, sheltered neighbourhoods and palanquins to reach the remarkable Roman bridge related to one of the sad stories of the area.

From there, after a short rest, the runners will begin the ascent to Shadiytsa Peak, from where everyone will be able to enjoy breathtaking views: to the north the familiar Rozhen, Snezhanka and Perelik peaks, and to the south – the ridge along our southern border, with Marzyan, Lomska Chuka and Veykata peaks.

A pleasant descent of about 6 km follows to the Pechinsko Pass, where an aid station will be set up. From Pechinsko along a pleasant path in a deciduous forest, through the beautiful village of Borinovo, the runners will reach the town of Madan, where they will be welcomed and received as long-awaited guests.

From the centre of Madan, runners will take a narrow path that will take them to the “sunny” village of Maglyane (the name is derived from the Bulgarian word for “fog”), and from there almost all the time the route will pass above the so-called Madan Ore Field, where runners will be able to see both unique mineral formations and special technical facilities. They will pass under the unique cable car and reach one of the most impressive rock formations in the Rhodopes – Kechi Kaya, around which you can see the remains of the important medieval Koznik Fortress.

An aid station with Rhodope delicacies from the Madan region is also organised here. After that, the route goes along the Babkata Mound, a pleasant section through a stunning beech forest and a run along the border itself with the GBR 43 GBR 63 runners. On the southern border, runners can admire the Rhodopes in friendly Greece, and in clear weather on the over 2000 m high peaks of the Samothrace Island. To the east is the dreamlike valley of the Varbitsa River.

Then, there is a smooth descent again along the ridge of the mountain that passes above the village of Alamovtsi, where there will be an aid station, through Rupchevo Peak, Kilovi Kolibi and Kosora Peak. After that, the runners descend to the St. Ekaterina Chapel. And from there to the finish in Zlatograd, are only two kilometres, the same for all distances.

Great things happen when people and mountains meet!